Hugh Jackman Says THE WOLVERINE Is A Little Different

Hugh Jackman talks about the tone and plot of James Mangold's The Wolverine. The actor says the films is a little different and a bit darker but still just as much fun as all the previous X-films.

Recently, the first full theatrical trailer for The Wolverine was released to mostly positive fan reaction. I'll admit, I wasn't overly impressed with the trailer after my first viewing but the more I watch it, the more I like it. Often times, comic book movies bombard you with action and impressive vfx in their trailers but it looks like The Wolverine is definitely putting an emphasis on story as Jackman touts the film as "a character piece."

Said Hugh, "[Wolverine's] back, and I couldn't be happier. I never in a million years would've thought (that) I'd still be playing this character (12 years later). It kind of really is shocking to me, but at the same time, it's such an instant gratitude, because I love this character."

Progressing from his love of the character to specifically speaking about the film, Jack said, "[Wolverine's] sort of interested in [the offer of mortality], because if your life is not great and there is a lot of regret and pain, would it be great to live on and on? Yes, ('The Wolverine') is a character piece, and I would say it may be a little darker in tone than the others, and it certainly feels a little different, (but) it's just as much fun. The action is probably in this is more inventive than we've ever had before."

Having put the character of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) in the opening moments of the trailer, Fox and Mangold are making no secret that the character has a prominent role in the film. Jackman however opted to remain coy on the X-Men's inclusion. "I don't want to give away too much. She is there in the way that loved ones are always there ... in a very real way, she's there. (He) loses the love of his life, (and) we've seen that impact. He's one of those people where whenever he gets close to someone, bad things tend to happen. So in a way, not only for himself but for the world, he decides to just completely go off the reservation and sort of deny who he is and be like a recluse."

In terms of preparing to assume the physicality of Wolverine once again, Jackman turned to fellow actor/strong-man Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for body-building tips. "Three hours a day [in the gym]. I had a mentor, Dwayne Johnson, the Rock. We're mates, and I said, 'Mate, I need to know what you do." And he said, "Tell me you've got six months? ... You need six months to do this." He told me the diet -- 6,000 calories -- (and that) you have to train like no one else. This is what I learned: When I started, I used to think, "You want to be bigger? You want to be in better shape? Train harder, train harder, train harder!" It's not not (that), it's the food. Seventy percent of the way you look is your diet, 30% is your training. So if there's anything you've got to concentrate on, it's the food."

"Spinning out of the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan (Hugh Jackman) travels to Japan where he falls for the beautiful Mariko Yashida (Tao Okamoto) to the grave displeasure of her father Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi) and her half-brother, the fearsome Silver Samurai (Will Yun Lee). But this isn't Logan's first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun or his first encounter with the Yashida clan. Based on a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Valkyrie) and Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard, Total Recall )and the comic book by Frank Miller and Chris Claremont."

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